A partial view of the destroyed United Nations headquarters
in Baghdad, that was was destroyed by a truck bomb
on August 19, 2003.
“From its Headquarters in New York to front-line missions in the field, from solemn minutes of silence to impassioned tribute to the fallen, the entire United Nations system marked the second anniversary of the deadly terrorist attack on UN headquarters in Baghdad, one of the darkest days in the world body’s history.
“Our fallen colleagues, taken from us in the prime of their lives, embodied our Organization’s ideals,” Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a message. The bombing killed 22 people, including the top UN envoy in Iraq and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Sergio Sergio Vieira de Mello, and injured hundreds.
“They were courageous and unstinting in their devotion to helping people in impoverished and war-torn lands build better lives. Their commitment and achievements made all of us proud to work for the United Nations,” he added.
“The question of justice lingers, too, as no-one has been held to account for this crime, offering yet another appalling example of the impunity that so often follows assaults on United Nations personnel around the world, be they peacekeepers, humanitarian workers or others.” [Read more]